Time for a little relationship spring cleaning!
Spring is a season of renewal, and just as spring cleaning brightens and refreshes your home and yard, you can apply the same principle to your relationships.
Studio 5 Parenting Contributor Heather Johnson shared how to revitalize your most important connections.
Identifying the Need for Spring Cleaning
Just like our homes, relationships can build up dust and clutter over time. Heather explained: “If you’re holding grudges in a relationship, it needs some spring cleaning.” Look for signs such as negative emotions, communication problems, dull memories, and estrangement to determine if your relationships need a refresh.
Decluttering Your Relationships
To declutter your relationships, focus on being healthy rather than being right. Heather advised: “We tend to gather all of these things because we want someone to understand us, and really we want someone to say, ‘Yep, you’re right,’ or apologize.” Live by your value system and let go of judgment and grudges to clear out the cobwebs.
Nourishing Your Connections
Nourishment involves feeding your relationships healthy things so they grow. Heather suggested: “When we are empathetic, we feed relationships really healthy food.” Offer empathy and avoid judgment to nourish and strengthen your connections.
Polishing Your Relationships
Polishing involves being intentional about improving your relationships. Heather recommended: “Ask today, ‘what is it that I can do to give energy to shine up this relationship today?'” Create a working plan to be intentional and give your relationships the attention they need.
Refreshing Your Relationships
Refreshing means reinvigorating your relationships with new energy and effort. Heather shared: “How can I hear what the other person is saying in a way that keeps us connected?” This question helps maintain connection and renew relationships, especially during challenging conversations.
Restoring and Regrowing Estranged Relationships
Forgiveness is key to restoring and regrowing estranged relationships. Heather explained: “The energy it takes to hold that grudge to not forgive is far more energy than it would take to forgive.” Choose to forgive and restore your relationships, allowing them to grow again.
To contact Heather for counseling, email blog.familyvolley@gmail.com, or visit www.familyvolley.blogspot.com.
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